What do the British/Irish most miss on MSC?

[Skipper Tim]

Given the dominance of North Americans of late in the subjects, questions and answers of the MSC forum, this is a thread for we British & Irish (I am actually 2/8 Irish :-) to champion. It doesn't have to be entirely serious but if you are British or Irish and have sailed MSC, what are/were your chief gripes?

 

On our recent 16-nighter, I think these were our party's top ten.

 

1) Food intended to be hot almost always served tepid on cold plates. This is an unforgivable crime in my mother's books and she won't sail MSC again.

2) Could never have 3 or 4 veg on the same plate in the MDR;

3) Fried eggs not being having the tops of their yolks cooked while still leaving a runny middle. We don't want them raw on top, solid, nor turned over! (Leave the lid on the frying pan!)

4) Cheap and unhealthy streaky bacon instead of back bacon.

5) Squash instead of juice at breakfast.

6) Very few quiet spots on deck to read or due to the organised activities.

7) Poor selection and quantity of English books in the library.

8) Poor information in English everywhere (daily news, menus etc.) - usually due to insufficient and inaccurate translations.

9) Most guests not knowing how to queue!

10) Always waiting for people of other nationalities to stop their incessant questioning of the member of staff one was waiting for.

 

Any more?

 

On an observational note, I think once a nationality/culture is in a majority, thee is a cultural flip in their favour. I have often noticed this on flights when the split is roughly 50/50 between origin and destination countries and it is a 'neutral' airline. There is an assumption on boarding that the majority are from the country they are currently in and the on-board atmosphere reflects this. On landing, those of the destination country gain confidence and they quickly realise they are not in a minority after all. The on-board culture feels to suddenly flip. We Brits realised quickly aboard our last cruise that we were in the tiniest of minorities, even outnumbered by our Australians cousins, so we just kept quiet about the eggs and the lack of queuing etc. - except, as is typically British, among ourselves.

[cathcruise]

I just go with the flow :) its MY holiday which I have paid my hard earned cash for ;)

[AmoMondo]

I'll go with 4 and 5 on your list and add tots to it. Fortunately I rarely eat it but the few times I've had it on MSC, it was like shrapnel, but the fresh baked breads are wonderful!

 

I've got a solution for number 2, ask for an assortment of steamed vegetablesvwith your main course, then you get quite a nice selection.

 

You have a valid point about the nationality mix. A 7 night Med cruise is a very different feel from a US sailing or a South American repo one. Length of cruise seems to have a bearingbas well, but that's no doubt due to the demographic shift.

[Jo and Rob]

I imagine afternoon tea in the MDR will be what we will miss. ;)

[Gossyboy]

I for one go on holiday abroad to get away from Brit's who moan about everything from runny egg to not being able to get English books! On a foriegn ship! How dare they not supply the Brits with reading material.

 

I am quite happy to complain when I need to, to the right person, weather it be head of reception, a maitre d or to the parents of the little sods that are doing the wall of death round the bar!

 

I found MSC to be spot on and gave us all we were looking for in a holiday.

 

I am British but on holiday I am a holiday maker. Part of a huge gathering of people from all walks of life, countries and cultures. I am as likely to meet and talk to another Brit as I am a German, Italian, Russian and so on. I don't feel the need to have other Brit's around me to be able to enjoy my holiday.

 

I have no complaints about MSC, in fact they and the staff of the MSC Armonia bent over backwards to make sure we felt like we were the most important people on that ship.

We will see if they live up those high standards when we travel again in July on the MSC Divina.

[Skipper Tim]

Gossyboy, I was mostly poking fun at ourselves. I have re-booked with MSC since the cruise!

 

I have lived in half a dozen countries and even holidayed on potatoes under a tree in Greece for 6 weeks, washing, shaving and brushing my teeth in the sea and had no complaints. I was trying to point out British/Irish foibles when abroad. I am accustomed to them!

[Skipper Tim]

I've got a solution for number 2, ask for an assortment of steamed vegetablesvwith your main course, then you get quite a nice selection.

 

Thank you! That is very useful to know.

[Gossyboy]

Gossyboy, I was mostly poking fun at ourselves. I have re-booked with MSC since the cruise!

 

I have lived in half a dozen countries and even holidayed on potatoes under a tree in Greece for 6 weeks, washing, shaving and brushing my teeth in the sea and had no complaints. I was trying to point out British/Irish foibles when abroad. I am accustomed to them!

 

 

Mind you, the queueing thing does cheese me off a bit! ;)

[AmoMondo]

Mind you, the queueing thing does cheese me off a bit! ;)

 

Or lack thereof!

[BMT]

Do they have plenty of English Breakfast tea bags on board, or should we bring our own??????!!!!!:D:D

[happytravellers2]

Without meaning to offend anyone:

Being British by birth and leaving in my early 20's, one of the first things I realised was how set in their ways the Brits are - even to the extent of attitudes to other regions within their own countries.

I now welcome the difference between all the people I meet - and see it as part of life's experiences.

When I go on holiday I want to eat different food, experience the countries I visit, and see how people act differently. I particularly don't want to eat and do what I can do at home - because I can do that for the rest of the year, and it probably won't be as good as I can have it at home.

Unfortunately the world has become "dumbed down" in the era of multi-national chains and mass travel and forgotten that one of the great things about travel is experiencing different cultures, people, habits, and food.

A overall philosophy is that if you look for the negative then you will always find it and be miserable. If you look for the positive and laugh about the minor negatives then you will be happier.

[AmoMondo]

Do they have plenty of English Breakfast tea bags on board, or should we bring our own??????!!!!!:D:D

 

I've never noticed them running out of those, peppermint yes but not English breakfast.

[AmoMondo]

Without meaning to offend anyone:

Being British by birth and leaving in my early 20's, one of the first things I realised was how set in their ways the Brits are - even to the extent of attitudes to other regions within their own countries.

I now welcome the difference between all the people I meet - and see it as part of life's experiences.

When I go on holiday I want to eat different food, experience the countries I visit, and see how people act differently. I particularly don't want to eat and do what I can do at home - because I can do that for the rest of the year, and it probably won't be as good as I can have it at home.

Unfortunately the world has become "dumbed down" in the era of multi-national chains and mass travel and forgotten that one of the great things about travel is experiencing different cultures, people, habits, and food.

A overall philosophy is that if you look for the negative then you will always find it and be miserable. If you look for the positive and laugh about the minor negatives then you will be happier.

I completely agree with your sentiment and it is one of the reasons I cruise with Italian lines rather than British. I have absolutely no wish to have Britain "come with me" when I travel overseas. I often get extremely hacked off with some of my fellow Brits overseas whinging about very thing under the sun not being as good as at home or not being available.

 

I getbthe impression that the Op is definitely not one of these type of Brits but merely started this as a humorous tongue in cheek thread

[BMT]

I've never noticed them running out of those, peppermint yes but not English breakfast.

 

Phew.....what a relief!!!

 

Thanks so much - set my mind at rest. Travelling with my Mum who would be lost without her tea!!:D:D:D

 

However, we really do like cruises with a mix of nationalities - much more interesting.

[Skipper Tim]

I getbthe impression that the Op is definitely not one of these type of Brits but merely started this as a humorous tongue in cheek thread

 

Thank you AmoMondo. You defended me while I was preoccupied plumbing in my little Peloponnesian house - which speaks for itself really.

 

I find all peoples interesting, even my own. I was really representing the interesting views of 'my own people' as a reaction to being in a ship of a different culture and among guests of many.

 

The queuing thing I think I can help to explain. When I lived in Spain, it was a regular necessity to go to the one and only bank in the village. This was before ATMs had arrived there and it was a purely cash society. Gradually, one would meet the whole village in the bank. For them it was as much a social occasion as anything as they caught up with the gossip.

 

To me at first, it was more like a chaotic marketplace with everyone shouting and no visible form of queue for any of the desks. My initial thoughts were "What are they all doing here? Why don't they go outside and do it?". They may have been physically arranged by social grouping but every single one of them knew who was behind them, if not in front of them, in the virtual queues. They think people who stand in line are sad and have no-one to speak to or anything better to do. Then they also think that foreigners are stupid and they will try it on with them.

 

The protocol is:

1) always know who arrived after you

2) don't stand in line like a sad person - talk to someone

3) when you think it may be approaching your turn go to the front

4) if it isn't someone will let you know

5) repeat until no one stops you

6) if anyone who arrived after you tries this, put them in their place

 

I hope that helps :)

[AmoMondo]

ThNks for the insightful explanation of Spanish "queuing". Wonder if the same approach would work with the Italians? I can always try and zee for myself.